Joe Fortunato-Allen Brown golf classic postponed

NATCHEZ — The Joe Fortunato-Allen Brown Golf Classic, which was scheduled to take place on May 2 at the Duncan Park golf course, has been postponed until further notice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the only fundraiser for the Miss-Lou Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. The money raised from this tournament goes to scholarships for local scholar athletes.

Greg Brooking, golf course superintendent at Duncan Park, said that on March 17, when the course was closed by the city, that he knew the event, among others, was going to be called off for the foreseeable future.

“All tournaments have been postponed,” Brooking said. “The city championship is in July, so hopefully that will take place.”

Freddie Sandel, event organizer and chapter member, said the decision to postpone the tournament was made two weeks ago “after the President (Donald Trump) and the Governor (Tate Reeves) ordered the quarantine.”

“We decided to put it off until another time…hopefully later this summer,” Sandel said. “We’re not sure (what month). We haven’t met yet. We really haven’t discussed it yet. Maybe August, if we can get crowds. It’s solely dependent on what the governor and even the city of Natchez (says or does).”